APPEARANCE OF EXUDATE
In acute wounds, modest amounts of thin, pale-yellow or straw-coloured exudate in a healing wound is considered normal. In chronic wounds, the colour, consistency, and amount of exudate may change as a result of various physiological processes (Cutting, 2004; WUWHS, 2019).
| TYPE | DESCRIPTION | CONSIDERATION |
|---|---|---|
| Serous | Clear, amber, thin and watery | Often considered normal but may be associated with infection by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus |
| Fibrinous | Cloudy and thin, with strands of fibrin | A response to inflammation purulent exudate containing white blood cells and bacteria |
| Serosanguineous | Clear, pink, thin and watery | Due to the presence of red blood cells |
| Sanguineous | Reddish, thin and watery | Low protein content |
| Seropurulent | Yellow or tan, cloudy and thick | Presence of infection. Liquefying of necrotic tissue |
| Purulent | Opaque, milky, sometimes green, thick | May be indicative of bacterial infection e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa |
| Haemopurulent | Reddish, milky and viscous | Established infection |
| Haemorrhagic | Dark red, thick | Infection, trauma. Capillaries break down easily and bleed |
(Adapted from Benbow, 2007; WUWHS, 2019; Wounds UK BPS, 2013)
In normal wound healing, exudate volume will decrease as healing occurs.